[efitz]

Android has always felt like a computer to me- too many customizations; too many technical decisions I have to make, too complicated. I can see why many people would like that; I don’t.

This is a very subtle point to try and get across, because it’s scattered across 1 million different design decisions. For example, since the beginning of iPhone, I don’t have to remember to save anything, when I open an app it usually remembers whatever state I need if applicable. Android has moved this direction, but iOS was always that way. Likewise, I do very little customization to my phone other than rearranging icons or changing the wallpaper.

I don’t want to think about the security implications of all the different permission grants when I install an app. iPhone apps ask me for a permission in context, and I can decide at that moment whether or not I want to share my photos or whatever.

Again, I gave two examples, but the thinking behind this is pervasive in the operating system. There just are not many sharp edges.

I am happy living in my walled garden, and I am generally satisfied with the capabilities that the phone gives to me. I am scared of apps because they are potential vehicles for malware, and Apple has a much better track record there than android, much less rooted android.

[fsflover]

Librem 5 doesn't run Android and doesn't ask you for permissions. It runa ordinary, desktop GNU/Linux with the Debian repositories, which contain virtually no malware. It's a completely different approach to security.